“The Twist” is the only song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in two separate versions by the same artist.
Chubby Checker recorded the song, which was written by Hank Ballard. Checker’s first version reached No. 1 in September 1960, helping turn the Twist into a nationwide dance craze. The song’s simple dance instructions and energetic rhythm made it especially effective on television and at social events.
A newly recorded version returned to No. 1 in January 1962, giving Checker two chart-topping runs for the same song. The combined achievement is unusual because most songs receive one principal chart campaign, while “The Twist” benefited from renewed public interest in the dance.
The song is often confused with “Let’s Twist Again,” another Chubby Checker hit that also promoted the dance. However, “Let’s Twist Again” is a separate composition and did not create the two-year-apart Hot 100 record.